Air compressor



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 18, 1965 c. H. MAY ETAL AIR COMPRESSOR Filed June 20, 1962 MW X 1 Way 7 M M w? u 1 f 03 a /a5 e r J) J is d C A 4 0 B y y l M 4/ M 1 A M y 4 a fi/ fi W4 Mud/7 0/ 7 [J m Z MWWSk m m, f 1 :Z My i. x .1? v j Filed June 20, 1962 C. H. MAY ETAL AIR COMPRESSOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS. 6/42/19 M Ma 1212 M 27/?0 661 United States Patent 3,184,154 AIR CUMPRESSOR Claude H. May and Keith H. Rhodes, Racine, Wis, assigns-rs to Walker Manufacturing Qompany, Racine, Win, a corporation of Delaware Filed June 20, 1952, Ser. No. 203,384 3 Claims. (Cl. 230-137) This invention relates generally to air compressors and more Particularly to a relatively compact, valveless, positive displacement rotary air compressor.

Accordingly, one object of the instant invention is an improved air compressor.

Another object is an improved positive displacement air compressor.

Another object is an improved rotary air compressor.

Another object is an improved valveless air compressor.

Another object is an air compressor that reduces friction of the relatively moving components to a minimum.

Other objects and advantages of the instant invention will be apparent in the following specification, claims and drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a cross sectional view taken through the air compressor of the instant invention shown in operative association with an electric motor;

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view taken substantially along the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view taken substantially along the line 3--3 of FIGURE 1; and

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the rotatable wedge and web of the air compressor of FIGURE 1.

An air compressor 10, in accordance with an exemplary constructed embodiment of the instant invention, is shown in operative association with an electric motor 12. The electric motor 12 is conventional in construction and has an output shaft 14 with a slot 16 therein to eifect drive of the rotatable components of the air compressor, as will be described.

The air compressor comprises a housing 20, for eX- ample, an aluminum die casting, having flanges 22 and 24 thereon to facilitate attachment to the motor 12 as by mounting on a pair of studs 25 and 28 on the motor 12. The housing 20 has a hemispherical concave chamber 30 therein for the acceptance of a rotatable wedge 32 and web 34, both of which are preferably made from nylon.

The wedge 32 has a convex spherical outer peripheral surface 36 complementary to the concave spherical surface 39 of the housing 2i so as to be rotatable therein about the axis of the output shaft 14 of the motor 12. The wedge 32 has a bore 49 therein for the acceptance of the output shaft 14, torque being transmitted from the shaft 14 to the wedge 32 by a drive pin 42 that is accepted in the slot 16 of the shaft 14 and in a pair of aligned apertures 44 and 4s extending radially of the bore in the wedge 32.

The wedge 32 has a pair of radially inwardly convergout side faces 56 and 52 that terminate in a diametrically extending circular wedge pin oil. The wedge pin is secured to an inner edge portion 62 of the wedge 32 as by a pair of machine screws 64 and 66 (FIG. 2). The central axis of the wedge pin 66 extends along a diameter of the concave spherical section 3% of the housing 20. The wedge pin 64) forms a driving and pivotal connection between the wedge 32 and web 34.

The web 34 has a convex hemispherical outer surface 70 complementary to the concave spherical surface 35) of the housing 20 so as to be rotatable therein. The web 34 has a diametrically extending circular bore 72 for the acceptance of the wedge pin 60 and a pair of planar faces 74 and 76 complementary to the faces 54) and 52 on the Wedge 32, respectively.

The web 34 has a pair of radially aligned bores 80 and 82 extending at right angles to and in the same plane as the bore 72 for the wedge pin 60, for the acceptance of a pair of web pins 84 and 86, respectively. The web pins 84 and 86 extend through a pair of aligned bearings 88 and W in a spider 92. The spider 92 supports the web 34 for rotati n about a spider pin 94. The web pins 84 and 86 are secured in the bearings 88 and 90, respectively, by a pair of spring retainers 96 and 98. The spider pin 94 is secured to the spider 92 as by brazing, so as to be rotatable therewith in a bearing tilt) that is supported in a bearing block 102.

The spider pin 94 is set at a predetermined angle relative to the axis of the motor shaft 14. The bearing block 102 is supported by a cover plate 104 that is secured to the housing 26 as by a plurality of machine screws 106.

As best seen in FIG. 2 of the drawings, the housing 26 is provided With an inlet aperture 116) and an outlet aperture 112. Thus, rotation of the wedge 32 and web 34, due to rotation of the motor shaft 14, effects opening and closing of What may be termed a compression chamber on opposite sides of the wedge 32, air being inducted through the inlet aperture 112, compressed, and then through the outlet aperture 110.

From the foregoing description, it should be apparent that the air compressor of the instant invention is relatively simple in construction, having only three moving parts, namely, the wedge 32, web 34, and spider 92. The wedge 32 and web 34 are designed so as to be easily molded from, for example, nylon, thereby simplifying manufacture and assembly of the air compressor 10. Further, the use of nylon for the wedge 32 and web 34 reduces noise and vibration of the air compressor 10 to a minimum. Also, elimination of conventional intake .and exhaust valves, which are inherently subject to failure, materially prolongs the life expectancy of the air compressor 10.

It is to be understood that the specific construction of the improved air compressor herein disclosed and described is presented for the purpose of explanation and illustration and is not intended to indicate limits of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A rotary positive displacement air compressor comprising a housing having a concave hemispherical recess therein, a wedge-shaped member having a convex hemispherical surface complementary to the concave recess in said housing so as to be rotatable therein, said wedge having a pair of radially convergent opposite side faces,

a wedge pin secured to said wedge extending diametrically of the recess in said housing,

a web having a convex hemispherical surface complementary to the recess in said housing and a diametrically extending circular recess for the acceptance of said wedge pin, said web having a pair of angularly related radially convergent inner faces complementary to the side faces of the wedge and of substantially greater included angle,

a spider pivotally secured to said web so as to be rotatable relative thereto about an axis extending normally to the axis of said cylindrical recess in the web and coplanar therewith, and

means supporting said spider for rotation about an axis said wedge, said housing having a pair of apertures therein, communicating with a compression chamber defined by the concave recess in said housing, said web and said wedge whereby rotation of said wedge, said web, and said spider effects a variation in the volume of said compression chamber to effect compression of the air therein. V V

2. A rotary positive displacement air compressor comprising a housing having a concave hemispherical recess therein,

a Wedge-shaped member having t a convex hemispherical surface complementary to the concave recess in said housing so as to be rotatable therein, said wedge having a pair of angularly related radially convergent opposite side faces, 1

a generally cylindrical wedge pin secured to said Wedge extending diametrically thereof and of the recess in said housing,

a web having a convex hemispherical surface complementary to the recess in said housing and a diametrically extending circular recess for the acceptance of said wedge pin in pivotal relationship, said web having a pair of angularly related radially convergent faces complementary to the side faces of the wedge and of relatively greater included angle,

a spider pivotally secured to said web so as to be rotatable relative thereto about an axis extending normally to the axis of the cylindrical recess in the web and coplanar therewith, and

means for supporting said spider for rotation about an axis angularly related to the axis of rotation of said wedge and coplanar therewith, said housing having a pair of apertures communicating with a compression chamber defined by the concave recess in said housing, said web and said wedge whereby rotation of said wedge, said web, and said spider effects a variation in the volume of said compression chamber to effect compression of the air therein.

angularly related to the axis 'of rotation of 7 3. A rotary positive displacement air compressor for 59 use with a prime mover having a drive shaft, said air compressor comprising a housing having a' concave hemispherical recess and a bore extending radially of the recess for the acceptance of the prime mover drive shaft,

a wedge-shaped member having a convex hemispherical surface complementary to the concave recess in said'housing so as to be rotatable about the axis of the bore therein, said wedge having a pair of angularly related radially convergent opposite side faces with a bore therebetween for the acceptance of the prime a mover drive shaft,

a generally cylindrical wedge pin secured to said wedge along a diameter normal to the bore therein,

a web having a convex; hemispherical surface complementary to the recess in said housing and a diametrically extending circular recess for the acceptance of said wedge pin in pivotal relationship, said web having a pair of angularly related radially convergent faces complementary to the side faces of the wedge and of relatively greater included angle,

a spider pivotally secured to said web so as to be rotatable relative thereto about an axis extending normally to the axis of the cylindrical recess in the web and coplanar therewith, and

means for supporting said spider for rotation about an axis angularly related to the axis of rotation of said wedge and coplanar therewith, said housing having a pair of apertures communicating with a com- I pression chamber defined by the concave recess in said housing, said web and said wedge whereby rotation of the prime mover drive shaft effects rotation of said wedge, said web, and said spider thereby to effect a variationtin the volume of said compression chamber and com pression of the air therein.

References Cited by the Examiner 972,337 10/50 France.

487,248 12/29 Germany.

JOSEPH H; BRANSON, 1a., Primary Examiner,

LAURENCE V. EFNER, Examiner, 

1. A ROTARY POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT AIR COMPRESSOR COMPRISING A HOUSING HAVING A CONCAVE HEMISPHERICAL RECESS THEREIN, A WEDGE-SHAPED MEMBER HAVING A CONVEX HEMISPHERICAL RECESS THEREIN, THE CONCAVE RECESS IN SAID HOUSING SO AS TO BE ROTATABLE THEREIN, SAID WEDGE HAVING A PAIR OF RADIALLY CONVERGENT OPPOSITE SIDE FACES, A WEDGE PIN SECURED TO SAID WEDGE EXTENDING DIAMETRICCALLY OF THE RECESS IN SAID HOUSING, A WEB HAVING A CONVEX HEMISPHERICAL SURFACE COMPLEMENTARY TO THE RECESS IN SAID HOUSING AND A DIAMETRICALLY EXTENDING CIRCULAR RECESS FOR THE ACCEPTANCE OF SAID WEDGE PIN, SAID WEB HAVING A PAIR OF ANGULARLY RELATED RADIALLY CONVERGENT INNER FACES COMPLEMENTARY TO THE SIDE FACES OF THE WEDGE AND OF SUBSTANTIALLY GREATER INCLUDED ANGLE A SPIDER PIVOTALLY SECURED TO SAID WEB SO AS TO BE ROTATABLE RELATIVE THERETO ABOUT AN AXIS EXTENDING NORMALLY TO THE AXIS OF SAID CYLINDRICAL RECESS IN THE WEB AND COPLANAR THEREWITH, AND MEANS SUPPORTING SAID SPIDER FOR ROTATION ABOUT AN AXIS ANGULARLY RELATED TO THE AXIS OF ROTATION ABOUT AN WEDGE, SAID HOUSING HAVING A PAIR OF APERTURES THEREIN COMMUNICATING WITH A COMPRESSION CHAMBER DEFINED BY THE CONCAVE RECESS IN SAID HOUSING, SAID WEB AND SAID WEDGE WHEREBY ROTATION OF SAID WEDGE, SAID WEB, AND SAID SPIDER EFFECTS A VARIATION IN THE SAME VOLUME OF SAID COMPRESSION CHAMBER TO EFFECT COMPRESSION OF THE AIR THEREIN. 